Interview: Christina M. Strassfield, Curator of Guild Hall Museum, East Hampton, Saturday November 15, 4-5 PM

Djazz to Django, American Jazz, The Blue Jersey Trio, Saturday, November 22,4-5PM.

Barbara K Schwartz will be exhibiting her newest body of collage/paintings at Viridian Gallery, 530 West 25th Street, titled AMERICAN PLACES AND SPACES from October 28 - November 22, 2008.

Mrs. Schwartz has returned to her first source of inspiration, Nature. As with all nature, her works are meant to be explored rather than scanned. This latest group of abstract landscape painting/collages is titled AMERICAN PLACES AND SPACES. Her thought is, that the real beauty of the United States is the variety of immense geographical spaces and stunningly beautiful landscapes.

Continuing her method of dealing in contrasts, Ms. Schwartz uses an interplay of opposites, spontaneity versus control, enigmatic and confrontational images working simultaneously. These paintings are energetic an assertive, and they hint at more and deeper meanings.

She begins her process with a passion for painting plus a desire to engage an audience. Her organic abstractions start with gestural mark-making using a brilliant palette, papers and found objects. Painting, then evolve into layered, mixed media works. The picture plane is often broken to create depth and tension. Her color is non-referential and is used more to evoke emotions than portray reality. She has seamlessly combined painting and collage.

Some of the pieces have become installations and others seem to reach beyond their frames to enter the viewer's space. In the world of technological perfection, the hand of this artist is always visible. These new works could be compared to rough-cut gems.

Her works are in national international museums, corporate and private collections. She has exhibited many times in Tokyo, Japan. She resides in Manhattan and works in her studio in Union Square from which she can see the Empire State Building, definitely an American icon.